If I See You In My Dreams
by Brigadier-Erin-Lightning
Summary: (Short, sweet One-shot(Spoilers past Episode 25) Roy runs into Maes just one last time, and realizes it's time to let go, at last.


**"If I See You In My Dreams"  
By Erin Lightning**

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_The lonliness on this particular night threatened to close in on the Colonel. Walking down the dark, sullen paths of the boulevard, with the night closing in around him, settling like a blanket over the park, Roy Mustang felt the pangs of guilt, sorrow, settling over him as well._

_He did not hold his usual arrogant appearence here. He needed not the tirade of the soon-to-be Fuhrer, or the emotionless bastard whom he usually pretended to be. No, these things he didn't have to be, here in a place that was locked away from the prying eyes of the rest of the world. Here, in this place that held such memories._

_Now, he wore not the military garb of the State Alchemist dogs. No, this was replaced for now with a regular black shirt that could easily fit right on the line between casual and dress, as well as a pair of simply normal pants that clung to his legs in a nearly enticing manner. His midnight hair was mussed, but not to the point where it would seem tacky. His eyes, which held all of that sarcasm, all of that dark cruelty that he had gained over the years were devoid of all that now; they were soft now, misty as if he were holding back tears. And his expression conveyed so much at once: sorrow, guilt, lonliness, confusion._

_Why had he come here on such a dreary night? When the clouds had overcast the stars, and there was no light save for the soft glitter of the streetlamps. He had nothing right now but the question: Why? And this was followed by "Why come here?"_

_He paused beside a rather nondescript area of the park, his right hand moving up to scratch his head lightly, his lips emitting the slightest sigh as he found himself uttering in a toneless voice, "If I'm looking for salvation, I won't find it here. If I'm looking to apologize for all that I've done, all the lives that my flames have claimed...why here?"_

_His answer came in the form of a soft, kindly voice from a short way down the path. "Who ever said you won't find salvation here? Or at least a guiding hand..."_

_Roy turned his head, and his eyes caught on a figure moving towards him from the shadows, that was slowly becoming clearer and clearer, a bit of an experience like looking at picture that was slowly coming into focus. First came the dark blue of an Alchemist's uniform, followed by the frame of a young man who was probably just a little taller then Mustang. Then...came the face. Short, messy black hair, styled much like Roy's, with only a few slight differences. Rectangular glasses, hiding shimmering golden eyes._

_"...to help you find your way,"Maes finished, stopping several feet from Roy,with a little cocky smile, and a flick of his middle and index fingers of his right hand, a mock peace sign salute._

_Roy, in shock, put this up with the fact that he must be dreaming. But, if he was, it didn't matter. "Hughes..."he said, slowly, his head dropping so that his face wouldn't be seen, his eyes trained on the ground._

_"Hm?" Maes said._

_"...You...lied..." said Roy._

_"Lied?"_

_"Yes," Roy said, taking a short time to turn his face back up, to lock eyes with the one man who knew him better then anyone else. The one man he had failed to help. He smiled. "You said you would push me up from below. You lied."_

_Maes took a long moment to consider this fact, then smiled just a little, in comfort. "I guess...I did, didn't I?" He said. He scratched his head. "Sorry 'bout that."_

_The two stood there again in unbearable silence, the weight of their heavy pain pushing them down, threatening to tear them to pieces. Now it was just a matter of who would break the silence first; who would admit that this was their last time together, dream or not?_

_"I'm sorry..." Maes said, relenting. "I guess...in the end...I just couldn't hold my own. She.."_

_Roy held up a hand and replied, "Stop...wait, I don't want to know. Please..." he said._

_"What's wrong?" asked Maes, looking worried, stepping closer._

_Roy's head shook back and forth violently and his voice rose just a little as he said, "At first, i only wanted revenge for your death. But...but now, I can't just let you stand here and tell me who did it, and help me!"_

_A knowing look was exchanged between the two. Maes understood not only the pain that Roy had, but also the fact that his friend had always depended on him. now, Roy wanted to learn to let go. If he kept relying on Maes, then Roy would never be able to move on...yes, it was a painful lesson for both of them..._

_"Alright, then I'll just stay here with you for a while," Maes offered, gently._

_They walked for a while, and spoke of things that had lain dormant since long ago. Just simple things: nothing regarding death, nothing regarding revenge. Just simple matters. Family matters, and the like. And that's when it happened. It rained. Slowly at first, like the poetic rain that inspires the heart, inspires the soul. The simple rain that brings out feelings long-hidden._

_Maes paused. "Mustang...you know I can't stay right?"_

_Roy's head lowered. "I understand."_

_"You understand why I came in the first place?" Maes said. He looked away now, as if ashamed. "I wanted to help you figure out who killed me...Maybe I was selfishly assuming that you'd be alright after that."_

_Roy gave a soft, ironic laugh. "You've never been selfish in your life."_

_"That's not true," Maes stated. Then,with a little, shaky breath, he continued awkwardly, "But then...I suppose the real reason I'm here was that I just wanted to be near you for a little longer. Nothing on the other sidecould compare to my time as a Military Dog, Roy."_

_Roy chuckled. "It's boring over there, isn't it?"_

_Maes gave an indignant look, blurting, "Yeah! None of those guys will look at Elysia's picture!" He turned back with a pouting expression, his face slowly cracking into a huge grin._

_Roy shook his head,still looking away."I-I'm going to miss you.." he said. What else does someone as cold as the Colonel say to a man who acted like his own father? To the man who saved him, helped him, was devoted to him?_

_That little sentence was all that Maes was looking for, however. "Look after Gracia and Elysia for me, will you?"__He said adjusting his glasses. The rain was converging around them now, it seemed, closing in. A white light, almost iridescent, formed around Maes, making him glow like an angel._

_Roy looked over to him. He wanted to say, "Don't go!", or perhaps to simply force his way along with Maes to the other side, find a way to bring him back. But, his friend had no physical body anymore in this world. And...a homunculus would never suit Hughes. So, instead, he merely nodded._

_"Oh," said Maes. "And tell FullMetal I wish him the best of luck...and...I'm sorry." Maes turned away as the light grew brighter. It hurt to look at his old friend who seemed, himself, so tortured by all this._

_"I...will..." said Roy, head turning to look at the ground again._

_Maes smiled. Mustering the only strength of heart he had left, he turned around and saluted. "Don't look so glum," he said, mock-happy. "After all, I'm not that far away. Just the other side of the gate. We'll see each other again, you know."_

_Roy said nothing, his shoulders sagging, shaking._

_Maes' smile grew gentler. He took a few steps, and wrapped a glowing arm around his drenched friend. Roy reacted by turning his head up to rest it against Maes' shoulder, and the two stood there for what seemed an infinity. They needed no words to convey their feelings. Maes' arms were wrapped around Roy, comforting him. And Roy's arms were wrapped around Maes, tears falling and mingling with the rain as he pressed his face against Maes' shoulder._

_Finally, Roy stepped away. He looked at Maes now, at that almost godly light. He stood tall, brushing away the last, lingering tear. He saluted, and said, "You've done well, Brigadier. Thank you. You can...finally be dismissed."_

_Maes understood. It was time, at last, that he could rest, without fearing the fact he had hurt the ones who meant the most to him. He merely smiled, and whispered, "At ease, Colonel."_

_Exchanging last smiles, Roy watched as great, angelic wings grew from Maes' back, shining bright with golden-white feathers, like the sun put in a material form, and then his friend dissapeared in a flurry of these feathers. His eyes widened at the sight of all of the feathers whirling about in the rain, shimmering little pieces of a world beyond worlds._

_As the last one touched the ground, he reached out to pick it up...and..._

_"Colonel," said a sharp-toned female voice from behind him._

_He paused in his reach, and turned to face Riza Hawkeye, his 1st Lieutenent. She held out a standard military umbrella to him, letting the rain fall on her shoulders, soaking her uniform. She had a stern look, and she said to him, "Might I ask, with permission, your purpose out here? It is not good for a Flame to be left out in the rain like this. What about Scar?"_

_He gave her a smile that shone almost as bright as the feathers had moments ago, and replied, "Purpose?I was investigating something. And what about Scar? I think i can handle myself."_

_Hawkeye shook her head, agitated. There went his cockiness again._

_She inclined her head softly in one direction, as if gesturing to something, as she walked over towards him and gave him the umbrella. "You miss him?"_

_Roy at first looked confused, but as he turned his head..._

_...there was the phone booth._

_A pang of sorrow shot through him, but it was washed away this time by relief. No. It was time to let it go. Don't let your past engulf you. It's time, he knew, to move on. To hold his dear friend in his heart, but to keep moving._ _His eyes moved to where the feather had been, butit was no longer there._

_"Of_ _course," he said. His eyes shot back to their normal arrogance instantly, and he replied, "But there isn't time to grieve right now. I'm sure he wouldn't want that. Let's go, Hawkeye. Looks like we've got business to attend to if you came all the way out here to find me."_

_Riza blinked, then nodded._

_"So..." Roy said, starting to walk off after ushering her under the umbrella as well. "What's up?"_

_And, at the same time as he spoke, he couldn't help but think about Riza in a miniskirt, which made him smile quite widely. Ah, if only. Looks like he'd have to become Fuhrer soon. For more reasons then one._

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**The End...or...**

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_"When I do become Fuhrer," thought Roy. "I'll make a statue of you, Maes, so you will never be forgotten."_

_Maes, meanwhile, from the other side of the Gate, gave a funny little face at hearing this, and murmured to himself, "Just don't make one of me in a miniskirt, please."_

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**The End (For real this time!)**


End file.
